Marc Cucurella has asked to leave after City had a £30m bid rejected by the Seagulls
(Image credit: Getty)
Marc Cucurella has reportedly asked to leave Brighton amid interest from Manchester City, after the two clubs failed to reach an agreement for a transfer fee.
The Premier League champions are in the market for a left-back, and identified the Spaniard as their top target to replace Arsenal-bound Oleksandr Zinchenko.
However, they had a £30m bid rejected as the Seagulls held firm with their £50m valuation of the 24-year-old.
Sky Sports News was one of several outlets to report on Friday that the defender has now handed in a transfer request to try and revive the move.
Brighton are in a strong position as sellers, though, as the defender has four years left on his deal.
City boss Pep Guardiola refused to comment on the potential signing when he faced the media ahead of Saturday’s Community Shield clash with Liverpool.
(Image credit: Getty)
"He's a Brighton player, I cannot say anything else," he said.
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On the potential recruitment of a left-back, Guardiola said: "If it is possible, yes, if not we will stay with what we have. We have enough players. I never complain about the squad I have."
Cucurella has only been at Brighton for one season, having joined from Getafe last summer for around £15m.
He made an immediate impression, making 35 Premier League appearances and winning the club’s Player of the Season award.
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Alasdair Mackenzie is a freelance journalist based in Rome, and a FourFourTwo contributor since 2015. When not pulling on the FFT shirt, he can be found at Reuters, The Times and the i. An Italophile since growing up on a diet of Football Italia on Channel 4, he now counts himself among thousands of fans sharing a passion for Ross County and Lazio.
